Bevin Cohen is an author, herbalist, gardener, seed saver, educator, and owner of Small House Farm in Michigan. Cohen offers workshops and lectures across the country on the benefits of living closer to the land through seeds, herbs, and locally grown food, and he has published numerous works on these topics, including the bestselling Saving Our Seeds and his highly anticipated new book, The Artisan Herbalist (New Society ’21). He serves on the board of the International Herb Association and the advisory council for the Community Seed Network. Learn more about Cohen’s work on his website www.smallhousefarm.com.
Bevin will be speaking at the Mother Earth News Fair Online.Workshops
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Swaps and Seed Libraries
Learn all about the important role that seed swaps and seed libraries play in a preserving history, building community and supporting a localized food system. Bevin will not only highlight the significance of these programs, but will also show you the steps to establish a seed library or organize a seed swap for your community!
Seed Saving
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Seed-Saving Basics
Build a firm foundation of seed-saving knowledge with this introductory, 101-style video. Learn the difference between heirloom, hybrid, and GMO seeds; gather the equipment you'll need for successful seed harvesting; and discover why this traditional practice is still so valuable today!
Seed Saving
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Seed Stories
Learn how the living history of our heirloom seeds is just as important as the seeds themselves. In this video, Bevin shares exciting tales of heritage fruits and vegetables that have traveled the world, influencing the countries and cultures they encountered along the way. By saving and sharing seeds, we're also saving the history, cultures, and stories of the many generations of growers that have tended these precious seeds before us.
Seed Saving
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Seed Storage Basics
Once you've learned to harvest and clean your precious seeds, you'll need to know how to properly package and store them to maintain their health and viability! In this video, Bevin walks us through the various storage options available to the seed saver to help the viewer determine which method is best suited to their needs. This video also shows examples of seed storage from a number of well-known seed vaults around the world, including the Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa, and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault located in Norway!
Seed Saving
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Pollination and Varietal Purity
In order to be a successful seed saver, one must first understand how seeds are made! This video is packed full of useful information on flower structure and pollination, isolation distancing, blossom bagging and hand pollination techniques to ensure true-to-type seed purity
Seed Saving
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Harvesting and Processing Wet Seeds
Many of our favorite garden crops produce "wet seeds." Bevin shows us just how easy it is to harvest, clean, and process these types of seeds; including melons, squash, and peppers. Learn tips and tricks to quickly extract ground cherry, tomatillo, and eggplant seeds, as well as how and why to ferment certain seeds, such as tomatoes and cucumbers.
Seed Saving
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Harvesting and Processing Dry Seeds
This is where the seed-saving fun begins! In this video, Bevin demonstrates various methods for harvesting and cleaning "dry seeds," including threshing, screening, and winnowing. Learn how to thresh and winnow a number of different seed types, including beans, peas, radishes, and kale!
Seed Saving
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